The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17

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forwards held in the .iJu'e noT occapiei
by Mrs. Kennedy. At that time it was
known as the "Acatlemy."
The meetings of the Newberry Division
and the Due West Division lacked one
attractive feature with which this Divis-
ion il favored. No ladies ever cheered
us by their presence. Although we be-
lieve that every true woman must nee
essarily favor sobriety and temperance
among her male friends, yet the ladies
of Newberry and Due West never gave
US the encouragement which we get from
their sisters at Abbeville. The enrolment
of their names in our books, their pres
ence here, and their hearty good wishes,
are worth much in holding up our hands
in the nobleSt work that can warm ana
animate the human heart. To this lack
of sympathy and encouragement in for
mer years, and their absence from our
meetings may be attributed the evil which
bcfell US in the past. These Divisions,
after career much too short for the work
in which they were engaged, ceased to
exist. After the novelty incident to the
organization of these Divisions wore of,
and after the interest in the initiation
services died out, their meetings were
not sufficiently attractive to induce full
attendance Of the brethren. The members
failed to attend, and their organizations
were dead.
Tho social feature of this organization
is worthy of special notice. The society
of our friends is tie which will bind,
and pleasure which will attract. What
ever tends to the cultivation of friend
ship between neighbors, and whatever
promotes the interchange of those ameni-
ties which lend to life its sweetness and
its charm, is of inestimable value to the
individual, and adds unity, strength
and perpetuity to the order whose labors
for the benefit of mankind are limited
only by its ability to effect good.
At these meetings the humber MEM
their neighbors which will cheer their
hearts, and strengthen them in their noble
efforts to form habits of total abstinence.
At these meetings the older members
have the best of opportunities for lending
their aid and encouragement to those of US
who may he weak and faint-hearted. Their
kindly word and friendly grasp Of the
hand in this hall may enable us, even in
our weakness, to put under foot the great
est adversary of the human body ,and their
presence at our meetings. may inspire the
will and the strength which will enable
US to triumph over the greatest enemy OF
the immortal soul.
At these meetings estranged neighbors
meet and old friendships may be re-
newed.
At these meetings new acquaintances
and new friendships may be formed,
which may last forever.
At these meetings all may unite III
brotherly love to work for the welfare OF
true manhood and good citizenship.
At these meetings the purest and best
lessons in morality and temperance are
always taught.
And now, Worthy Patriarch, Sisters
and Brethren, this leads me to consider
the proper conduct of this Division. Or
dinarily, temperance societies do not ex-
ist for great while. The fact of their
brief existence, think, may be account
ell for more in tho fact that our meet
ings are not sufficiently interesting than
from any desire to renounce our tempe
rance principles or from any lack of inter-
est in the welfare of our fellow man.
It is therefore of vital Importance that
we make these meetings interesting. In
no other way can the continued existence
and prosperity OF our order be ensured.
We know the cause of the failure of our
organizations in the past, and we should
now seek to avoid these causes. While
be avoided, yet it is not so easy to pre-
scribe the remedy, but it occurs To me that
a united effort on the part of every men,
Der would discover the proper remedy.
The officers may learn by heart their
respective parts in the initiation Of new
members, and they might have the neces-
sary rehearsals to enable them to go
through with our beautiful initiation SER
vice in a manner to impress the candi-
date, and to interest the members who
may witness the drama.
During the initiation the mbers of
the Division are expected to respond, and
it would add force and inpressiveness to
the ceremony if all the members could
answer with spirit and unanimity.
Again, I think the individual members
might profitably join in The singing. In
doing this they WOULD add something of
interest to the exercises, and detract moth
ing from their own. personal enjoyment.
While the bylaws OF the Sons OF Tenn
perance provide for the election Of officers
once in three months, it may be adyan-
tageous and to the welfare and prosperity
of the Division to re-elect some of those
whose terms have expired. Especially is
this true in the case Of the Worthy Patri-
arch and the Conductor.
In the Newberry Divisi0ffeeff of of " hsich Mr..
LeaHell Worthy Patriarch every
as possible the initiation of candidates
was made all impressive and interesting
occasion. And Just here it may not be
amiss to correct an impression which
seems to prevail among our own officers,
that they must necessarily read from the
books and cards every word Of their re-
spective parts. These books and cards
arc given as guides to assist us in learn
ing our parts. We are not required to
read them, though the words are there
printed.
Another great source Of pleasure and
profit would be the presence Of more
married ladies at our meetings. We
would like to see all the wives and moth
ers of the members OF this division with
us. 1t is meet and proper that they
should be here. It is we'll that they come
to the place where the presence Of their
daughters adds 80 much to our meet
ings, and whose encouragement does so
much to cheer us in our best work. Sure
ly our mothers cannot be less interested
in our sobriety than we are ourselves.
Their welfare and their happiness depend
upon our sobriety, and In no way can So
briefly he so we'll assured as by total alb
stinence from the use of all intoxicating
drinks. Every man who abstains
from the use Of all intoxicating
liquors is perfectly safe from the
evils arising from intemperance, but every
man who touches Intoxicating liquors as
beverage imperils his well-being and
endangers all that is dear to him. For
these reasons our mothers cannot be in
different to the cause Of temperance. Our
cause is their cause. Our welfare is their
welfare. Our safety from the evil which
doth so easily beset us is her joy and
her comfort. IF this division of the Sons